Why do farang buy bars?

[PeteC]

one becomes more impatient,

And I thought it was just me!

Wisdom and experience gained in other lands throughout life can be a frustrating thing here DTM. "Do it right the first time" could be achieved easily with advice given, but you have to suffer through countless trials and errors simply because others think they know better. Gloating at the end of things is useless and an empty exercise.......brick wall impressions on your forehead is a badge of honour!

[zenarcher]

Interesting topic. I have known a couple of farangs who have taken on bars in Thailand and have fallen on very hard times after a relatively short time. I think for some it is a dream lifestyle that is under researched; it is a potential business, do a two year business plan and market research. Mostly it is under financed ... a few thousand £ of life savings will soon evaporate.
Personally, I know which side of the bar I belong on.

[arcadianagain]

Opening a bar/restaurant anywhere in the world is fraught with danger if you have no experience of the other side of the bar. We were planning to open a bar/resto in the tourist area of Sousse, but in the end we built a coffee shop in a relatively wealthy area where all the trade is local. Tourists and tourist fashions come and go but locals are always there.

[migrant]

Restaurants, and bars, whether in Thailand, or other places, attract a lot of people. I think many have the dream of being like Rick in Casablanca, having the table, or stool, in the corner, buying drinks and partying with friends. Most figure they have spent enough time in bars and restaurants,that they know how to make a successful place, but truly have no idea how to run the business. Since they are going to make a bundle, most are started with too little cash. They survive the first few months as mentioned above, but then reality takes over.

I deal with a lot of businesses and have seen this many times. Successful bar, and restaurant, owners, are some of the hardest workers out there

[PeteC]

Good post and speaks true. Pete

[crazy88]

Understand your post Migrant but the film was made 27 years before I was born. I have seen many successful bars here and many complete failures simply because the people have no clue what they are doing, never done it before and think it is easy. It is not. I know virtually nothing about flying planes as a business so why would I buy one? Now as for the Turkish delight. Enlighten me anybody.

Crazy 88

[hhfarang]

I tended a "one man" neighborhood bar as a second job on the evening shift for a few years in my late 20's in the U.S. and I can tell you from that experience that it is no fun, constantly trying to calm the drunks and break up fights when they happen (and they will at least once a week) as well as it being a hectic job, if you are the only employee... must be a bit easier with a couple of Thai servers to help.

[PeteC]

Another aspect of all this is I think a foreigner can't get a WP to work/run a bar. Every time he is behind the bar and even drying a glass or emptying an ashtray he risks arrest. He needs to sit on a stool like a customer and direct operations from there.

I guess if he pays his tea dues he may get a break. Thankless job.

[LaughTilIDie]

Answer is right there in front of our faces!! Simplest way to avoid the BF

[Pleng]

Some do it as a hobby. It's only throw away money

Indeed. I guess if you've got money to throw away, and want to stay in Thailand, owning a bar would be a relatively easy way to back up a business visa?

As far as know you can only lease a bar. You cannot work in the bar. Therefore you are not eligible for any sort of visa

Well I'm not a Visa expert, but I would have thought that owning/leasing any kind of business would entitle you to apply for a business Visa (not talking about Work Permit, just a Visa)?

Another aspect of all this is I think a foreigner can't get a WP to work/run a bar. Every time he is behind the bar and even drying a glass or emptying an ashtray he risks arrest. He needs to sit on a stool like a customer and direct operations from there.

I guess if he pays his tea dues he may get a break. Thankless job.

While I know a work permit can't be granted for working behind the bar, business management positions are not on the black list, so would it not be possible to apply for a permit on that basis?

[kendo]

I know a bar owner that has a work permit it's framed with his mug shot on the wall of his bar.
He told me that he thought their was only three bar owners in Hua Hin that had a permit.

Kendo.

[theprice01]

Re. my post just now on 'Soi 80 map' thread, the 2 bars i stated (they've closed) have barely been open 3 months!
Do some bar-buyers just under-estimate how much money they will get from a bar??
My uncle hardly takes anything from his bar, he says what goes into the till pays the bars expenses and allows him a steak dinner a couple times a month. ....It seems to me if your doing it purely for making money you could be whistling in the wind.

[STEVE G]

Do some bar-buyers just under-estimate how much money they will get from a bar??

The main problem is that in any tourist resort, business is hugely seasonal and I think that some people don't realize just how little you are going to make out of season, which is often most of the year.

[richard]

I know a bar owner that has a work permit it's framed with his mug shot on the wall of his bar.
He told me that he thought their was only three bar owners in Hua Hin that had a permit.

Kendo.

I wonder what the work permit is really for

[The Enniscrone Pig]

I've been here for over a decade now, and one thing that's always puzzled me is why so many farang (apparently) buy bars here.

Why don't you ask a bar owner, or do you think you'll get a more honest answer on this forum?